Shoreline student in production of 13 at the Broadway Bound Children's Theatre

Shoreline student Samantha Wool
Photo courtesy Broadway Bound

Young actors from across the Seattle area are currently in rehearsal for Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre’s production of 13 The Musical which runs Friday, June 17 through Father’s Day on Sunday, June 19 at the Falls Theatre at ACT. 

Recently seen on Broadway, the engaging, high-energy rock musical, which focuses on the struggles of teenagers, as seen through their eyes, was composed by Tony-Award winner Jason Robert Brown.

Among the actors participating is one student from Shoreline – Samantha Wool.

13, like Broadway Bound’s other spring production, is a show that explores Jewish traditions. 13 focus on Evan Goldman, who spends a large portion of the show gearing up for his bar mitzvah. When we first encounter Evan, he is a New Yorker who recently learned that his parents are getting divorced; even more devastating news arrives when he learns that he is moving to a small town in Indiana. 

Once there, Evan just wants to blend in and make it to his bar mitzvah, hoping that some of his new school friends will join him to celebrate. However, instead of smooth sailing, Evan cannot seem to avoid being dragged into the issues that his peers face. Evan does his best to assist them and fit in. Ultimately, Evan learns some incredibly valuable lessons about friendship, self identity, and what is really important.

“You really experience the journey and struggles that Evan goes through; struggles that mostly come from his trying to fix everything and fit in,” said cast member Anna Given, who plays the role of Charlotte. “But he comes to the realization that maybe that should not be his top priority.”

At its core, 13 The Musical emphasizes that home is where the heart is. “Like so many, Evan doesn’t see the beauty that is already present in his life,” said Broadway Bound Founder and Director of 13, Jimmy Nixon.

The production staff includes Director Jimmy Nixon, Choreographer Sonia Dawkins, Musical Director Barbara Lynne Jamison, Lighting Designer Tom Sturge, and Scenic Designers Norm Spencer and Martin Christoffel. This is the fifth show in Broadway Bound’s 15th anniversary season. The season began in August, with the world-premiere staging of an original musical God Lives in Glass (Rainier Beach High School) and continued recently with Hairspray and Willy Wonka. The 2010-2011 season will conclude with performances of Fiddler on the Roof, Jr., also at the Falls Theatre at ACT, and the performances of 13.

Tickets to 13 The Musical are $17.50 and are available online, by phone at 206-292-7676, or in person at the box office at ACT Theatre. More information about 13 The Musical and Broadway Bound here.

--From Jordan Lusink